A Strange Stranger, A Strange Friend
by fallblu255
Summary: When Apong meets her boss for the first time.Will they be able to help eachother out of sticky messes without killing one another?Will the two become the best of friends or the most distant of strangers...or could there be more beneath the surface?


**My first fanfic EVER! (no flames plz they buuuurn) Critiquing is fine compliments are better. This is basically a PC/NPC story based on a comic i was planning to do with my friend. (note: it would be cool if Pc's could help around stores 'n' stuff)**

**Disclaimer: I** WISH I OWNED GAIA but i don't nor do i own Ian (I Wish!)

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A Strange Stranger, A FaVorable Friend

**Chapter One Return**

Ian took in a deep breath. It's been what? Two years since he stepped into The Barton Boutique. His shoulders slumped down as he turned the entrance's handle. The bells rang out a familiar chime as he opened the door. He closed his eyes as the warm memories rushed back to him.

"Welcome to the Barton Boutique. Can I help you?" beamed a female voice. Ian's eyes shot open; he blinked several times to believe what he was seeing. A girl, dark complexion … wearing the exact same outfit as him! Only difference was instead of pants it was a short brown skirt and white knee-high socks. "wh-who the hell are you!" He exclaimed pointing right at the purple haired girl with a trembling finger.

"Eh?" she replied as she curiously tilted her head to the side. Ian didn't know how to respond to this he just sort of stared at her. " Haha! Are you some noob or something?" Ian's eyes slipped into the shadows of his hat and he slowly lowered his accusing hand.

She slid off the her seat on the front counter, her hat had a purple feather which matched the short violet hair sprouting from under it. He noticed she was a whole head shorter then himself. She strolled over to him "I never knew Rufy hired someone else." She held her hand out; obviously she wanted him to shake it, instead. "Where's Rufus?" He asked, more of a demand then a question. "What's going on here?" called a voice.

The voice belonged to Rufus. The blue cat appeared from the back room. "Rufus!" called out Ian. "Ian!" gasped Rufus. If cats could come anything close to flying what Rufus did would be it. He soared to his beloved owner, eyes brimming with tears of joy. "Who the hell is this girl!" questioned Ian. Like Rufus' sudden burst of joy Rufus himself dropped to the floor.

'Who the hell do you think you are? Being so mean to Rufy." She growled

"I hate to say this but… Don't you know who the hell I am?" Ian replied calmly through gritted teeth, he was clearly annoyed with the girl.

"I know exactly who the hell you are!" She started to shout sharing the same feelings as him.

"Oh really, who the hell am I?"

"The weird guy who doesn't know when to shut the hell up!"

"Why don't you shut the hell up eggplant head!"

"Go to hell psycho!"

They both shouted insults (most including the word "hell") at each other and started to use spastic hand actions. Rufus found it a bit disturbing one how she reminded him of Ian.

"Apong! Ian! Stop yelling!" hissed Rufus as he gestured at all the customers staring at them. Embarrassment flushed Ian's cheeks he looked over; eggplant-head's face was completely red too. He grabbed her by the collar and dragged her to the back room – literally. Now that defiantly raised some costumers' eyebrows.

He tossed her into some boxes. Ian never dared treat a woman like that but for some reason she was a big exception. "The name's Ian and Rufus is my cat. I guess I'm your real boss." He sneered as he kneeled in front of her.

BAM!

A fist connecting squarely to his jaw. He tumbled back on his haunches; the girl had a hell of a right hook. She snickered wickedly as her eyes flashed with a twisted intensity. The girl was infuriating, so it was to Ian's surprise that he was blushing. The girl stood up eyes still twinkling with bad intention stared at the clock and said "Well see ya later boss!" she began to leave the room, head held high at her accomplishment. Ian stood up glaring at her with his mysterious brown eyes. "Hey eggplant head!" he teased, "You're working till closing."

"What!" she screeched, she whipped around with such force her hat fell to the ground. She clenched the doorway desperately trying not to knock his brains out. "But that's in three more hours!" she grinded between clenched teeth. A true smile spread across Ian's face as he replied, "I know."

It seemed the weather had token a sharp turn for the worst. Shadowy clouds swirled over the sun .The clouds thickened and deeper shades of gray formed as the dark billowing masses began sending rain down to the ground. At first light drizzles, but suddenly masses of water seemed to endlessly sputter from the dark clouds. Lightning fired out in blinding flashes as thunder arrived in crashing booms. The situation was probably best described as Mother Nature sending her fury upon the earth.

Ian let out a sigh as he flipped the "Open" sign to "Closed". It was only seven thirty but he doubted anyone would be coming to buy anything in such miserable weather. He glanced at the purple haired girl now solemnly listening to her blue go-player. Obviously she was upset; her knees were drawn up to her chest, her head buried within them…

Silence.

"So how am I supposed to get home?" she asked not even looking up at him.

"Donno.." he flatly responded. He looked out the window again squinting his eyes to see past the other side of the street, but the rain made a watery curtain. Lightning flashed again almost blinding the raven-haired man, the crash of the thunder rumbled the chair he now sat in. The girl flinched at the loud noise then continued to bury her face further into her knees, whimpering.

Suddenly she seemed to appear more as a child, then anything else. He walked to the door, which separated the store from his loft. "Hey." He called as he beckoned her to follow him. She did and they both climbed up the narrow stairway. She sat down on the old couch; Ian disappeared from the room.

"YO!" barked Rufus popping out of absolutely nowhere. Apong screamed and fell off the couch with a loud thud. Ian walked in with a red blanket; He helped the frightened teen to her feet and gave it to her "We'll wait for the storm to die out, ok." She nodded gratefully.

They started watching a horror movie on TV it was some vampire movie. Ian wasn't interested, after living through his own blood sucking horrors anything to do with vampires didn't faze him…at least not some dumb movie. The girl one the other hand clamped onto his arm trembling. The movie was about these two teenagers home, lights go out, and vampires start hunting for some youthful victims. _Fake blood cheap gore blah blah blah boring _Ian thought to himself.

Suddenly lightning flashed disorienting the three, thunder boomed similar to an explosion; the lights had instantly died. Apong panicked and hugged onto Ian "I don't wanna die a virgin!!" she bawled

Sweatdrop.

"Get…the… hell off me!" Ian shouted, in his signature spastic tone. He managed to pry her off .She hit the floor, butt first

"I'll go check the fuse. Don't have a freaking spaz attack while I'm in the basement." He said as he stood up. "Wow Ian calling someone else a spaz!" Gawked Rufus. She didn't reply, She just pulled the blanket of herself, hiding her shame.

Ian started down the stairs doing a bit of thinking:

Sorta strange, I just met this girl today! And it already feels like I knew her for years, but not in a good way…sort of. He stopped to think about this, it was confusing! Are we friends or enemies? Strangers? Or more?? The last two words surprised him; suddenly Sasha flooded into his mind.

Sasha.

He slumped against the wall. I bet she's with Gino. Just completely forgetting about me. Everyone probably forgot all about me… even if they didn't, life would just go back normal, back to me…being the loser. Back to me being shoved around. Back to being pushed away, back to being a waste of space. But that's was I wanted right? For my life to go back to being normal…

Ian now slid down the wall, sitting emotionlessly against the wall. He started to rub his temples to silence the questions scratching through his mind. With every contradiction, with every hesitant thought, it felt as if a wound opened up on his body. Tears of frustration rolled down his cheeks, even through his closed eyes. What would really keep him waking up every morning? He just didn't know what her really wanted. What would help him work out his feelings?

"You!" hollered a voice. Before he could even look up, the head of a broom planted itself into his face. Ian bounced down the stairs and landed with a thunderous thud.

"That's what you get for taking so danm long with the lights!" Apong blurted out, broom in hand "Do you just want the vampires to use my neck as a chew toy?"

Rufus sweatdropped and sighed.

"Well, at least there's one thing that my minds made up on…" Ian grumbled. He slowly turned his head towards the violet haired girl still complaining. A slight smile crossed his face …

"Life I going to get a lot more interesting."

THE END…for now . !

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End file.
